Let me see now…..glass is actually a liquid with an extremely high rated viscosity. So I would have to say that in order to gain a permanence in your work it would be best to find a medium that should be actually melted into the glass. This presents a problem because you need a kiln, and the colours are limited to a few tones of varying greys. Not much of a selection.
I don’t think you want to go to that much trouble do you?
The best you could use in this case would be an etching paint or even better “Vitrea 160” glass paint. This you can bake with a small convection oven. If you are going to bake it use a defunct oven that you aren’t going to use to cook food any more. You’d be surprises how dangerous the products we use in our trade can be.
Etching the glass will assist in clarity, and adherence but it isn’t necessary.
Do stay away from any plastic paints, like acrylic gesso or acrylics themselves. They are a plastic, Just because they don’t wash off with turps or water after curing doesn’t mean that they are good for glass. It is very easy to peel plastic off of glass. Besides it’s an opaque medium, and watering it down for transparency would defeat the purpose of the idea. Glass painting.

BlindPoeton November 30th, -0001

I use the etching paint. It stay very well.

Caton November 30th, -0001

I’ve used, and had success with VITREA 160, which is a transparent water based glossy paint for glass. Although it can be baked at360 degrees, I’ve let my designs dry in room temp. and have never had any problems..Here’s their website. http://www.pebeo.com

OpenRoadon November 30th, -0001

There are two basic types of paints for glass – those that must be baked to become permanent and those that are air cured, so that they acquire some degree of permanence after several days of drying time. Those that must be baked are, in a sense, more forgiving than air cured paints, because you can correct mistakes at any time until they are baked. Once air cured paint starts to dry, removal becomes more difficult,

Another factor that determines what paint you want to use is durability. There are paints that will work well on glass that is strictly for decorative use and will need very little in the way of washing and scrubbing. Others will take hand washing but not the dishwasher, while still others are sturdy enough to withstand even that.

Any regular acrylic paint can be used on glass if it isn’t going to be subjected to much handling and washing. Acrylics have the advantage of being opaque and fairly strong. If you have stenciled on other surfaces you will pretty well know exactly what to expect when you start stenciling on a glass surface – except that glass is slicker than plaster or wood. But acrylics are not suitable for anything that will need washing other than a light sponging off with water. One advantage to acrylic paints is that they can be thinned with water to produce a paler shade.

Hope that helps… 🙂 Have fun!

KittyInCollinderon November 30th, -0001

Well, there is no real great paint for glass, because of its slick surface though there are two techniques you can use:

Gesso usually used for canvas but will help your paints remain true to color.

Or Sand blast or sand paper (use carbine grit or corundum grit sand paper get it from the auto parts store) on the glass where you plan to paint this will allow some of the transparency of the glass to show through and the sanded areas give it some tooth for the paint to hang on to.

I would in both cases use acrylic.

CookieMonsteron November 30th, -0001

perminant paint or etching paint

LighteningBolton November 30th, -0001

I had to answer this because I see some idiot answered you with an answer …that there’s no such thing as paint for glass. If you don’t know anything about something you should just keep your mouth shut. Vitrea 160 is a paint that comes in 30 different colors and can be used on glass. And it does become permanent. I also use a glass stain on glass called Gallery Glass. I used it to paint a stained glass look alike window on my bedroom windows. It has survived rain, sleet and snow and intense heat. So as far as the idiot that says you can’t paint on glass…he must be convincing to so many people if he’s rated so high on yahoo answers….do research the next time you mislead someone i guess….good luck!

Musicmakeron November 30th, -0001

go to your local crafts store and ask them they will have at least two different kinds one or both of which will require being baked in your oven to stay where you put it good luck

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ALES LOMBERGAR is one of the few artisans in Europe who still practice the ancient art of glass acid etching which flourished in the late 19th century. Decorations are applied with resin resists by hand and then exposed to acid baths, with no machinery used. More information here.